The Take Flight Curriculum: Building Confidence and Measurable Growth for Students with Dyslexia
What Is the Take Flight Curriculum?
Hoover Learning Group utilizes Take Flight: A Comprehensive Intervention for Students with Dyslexia, a two-year curriculum developed by the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite for Children. This program is grounded in decades of research conducted by Scottish Rite’s dyslexia specialists and is built upon the well-established Orton-Gillingham approach, an evidence-based, multisensory literacy method originally developed by Samuel T. Orton and Anna Gillingham.
Take Flight is not just another reading program; it’s a systematic, research-driven intervention designed to rewire the way the brain processes written language. Through repetition, structure, and individualized instruction, students learn to read, spell, and comprehend with confidence and precision.
The Science Behind Take Flight
Take Flight is grounded in the five components of effective reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel (2000) , a landmark report published by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. These five essential pillars guide all lesson design:
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words. It’s the foundation of reading and spelling.
Example: Recognizing that cat contains the sounds /k/ /a/ /t/ and being able to change /k/ to /m/ to form mat.
Phonics
Phonics teaches the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent.
Example: Understanding that “c” can make the /k/ sound in cat or the /s/ sound in cent.
Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read accurately, quickly, and with expression.
Example: A fluent reader can read a paragraph smoothly and at a natural pace.
Vocabulary
A strong vocabulary helps students understand and communicate meaning.
Example: Knowing the difference between “predict” and “guess” deepens comprehension.
Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret text.
Example: A student can explain what happened in a story and why.
Each Take Flight lesson integrates these five scientifically validated components while engaging visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways consistent with the Orton-Gillingham multisensory model.
The program consists of 96 grapheme-phoneme correspondence rules and 87 morphological units, all part of the structured literacy system designed and validated by Scottish Rite for Children’s dyslexia research teams.
The Research: Proven Success for Students with Dyslexia
Extensive clinical research conducted by specialists at the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders has confirmed that instruction delivered by a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) produces significant and lasting improvements.
Core Study Results
A major study conducted at Scottish Rite analyzed 113 students across seven graduating groups. According to their published findings:
Students who began below grade level made measurable gains.
Many moved into or near the average range of reading ability after completing the program.
Gains extended beyond decoding to include comprehension, fluency, and word recognition.
These outcomes reflect the organization’s long-term commitment to evidence-based dyslexia intervention.
Long-Term Impact: Gains That Last
Follow-up research conducted by Scottish Rite researchers tracked students up to four years post-therapy, revealing:
Continued growth in reading comprehension through the first post-treatment year.
Sustained progress in word recognition, keeping pace with non-dyslexic peers.
Long-lasting literacy gains, validating that Take Flight builds durable reading strategies—not temporary boosts.
Comparison with Other Programs
In research comparing Take Flight to its predecessor the Dyslexia Training Program (DTP) Scottish Rite found that Take Flight students demonstrated:
Significantly greater growth in reading comprehension
Stronger improvements in oral reading fluency
Additionally, a public-school field study across several Texas districts (59 students, grades 3–5) showed that:
Students improved at the same rate or faster than their peers
Those with the lowest starting scores made the greatest gains
CALT-delivered instruction produced results comparable to clinical settings
One district report noted that students achieved 90% accuracy on early word lists and 84% accuracy on advanced reading tasks after the full two-year program clear evidence of mastery.
Why Our Certified Academic Language Therapists (CALTs) Matter
The success of Take Flight depends significantly on the expertise of the professionals delivering it. Hoover Learning Group’s therapists are Certified Academic Language Therapists and Practitioners, credentialed through organizations such as:
The Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA)
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
Our CALTs provide:
Personalized instruction tailored to each child’s pace
Multisensory lessons rooted in decades of scientific research
Ongoing progress monitoring and motivational support
Their professional training aligned with the standards established by ALTA and the structured literacy principles recognized by IDA ensures every student receives the highest quality intervention.
Results That Speak for Themselves
Take Flight is more than effective; it's transformative. Students at Hoover Learning Group are experiencing gains consistent with the outcomes documented by Scottish Rite’s research teams:
10–20-point gains in key reading skills over two years
Comprehension and fluency improvements that last up to four years
Increased confidence, independence, and motivation
Children who once struggled with decoding and confidence become proficient, self-assured readers.
Helping Your Child Take Flight
Every child deserves to experience the joy of reading and learning. With early intervention and the right instructional approach, students with dyslexia can achieve academic success and confidence that extends far beyond the classroom.
At Hoover Learning Group, we believe learning differences are not limitations; they are opportunities for personalized growth.
Through the Take Flight curriculum and the expertise of our certified therapists, we help students not only catch up but soar.
